Marked 답변으로 표시
by Una
Summary: Set directly after the ending of episode 24. NC17/M rated. First part in a series of one shots.


**MARKED**

When he heard the soft stirring of grass behind him, he turned around. At first he couldn't believe his own eyes. That woman … that woman looked so much like Eun-Soo that he thought that his longing for her had conjured up an image of her before his very eyes. But when that woman stepped closer and the light of the rising sun fell upon her face, saw the tears that silently streamed down her cheeks, he knew that his wait was over.

Slowly, cautiously, he walked over and they met halfway beneath the old tree that had become the symbol of his faith in her. When they were only a mere feet away, he smiled. Imja was home, he was home and his heart seemed to be bursting in his chest after having been dormant for four long years.

Silently they watched each other, each of them just drinking in the other's face, their eyes silently conveying all the emotions welling up inside of them. For the longest time Choi Young just watched her, his eyes following every curve of her beloved face. The length of her red hair. The soft shape of her eyes, the wonderful tilt of her eye brows. The loving gaze out of tear filled eyes.

This was almost enough, just seeing her, breathing the same air, and yet it was never enough. For a moment his hand holding his sword clenched, then it relaxed again. Eun-Soo must have noticed the small movement and for a moment her eyes wandered down to his hand, then up to his face, a silent question in her gaze.

"It is alright," he said softly, echoing her words from four years ago. "I'm fine."

As if the words had broken some kind of spell both stepped forward, covering the distance still between them.

"Imja!" The honorific endearment fell from both their lips as they embraced. Eun-Soo closed her eyes when she felt his armour pressing into her front, his strong arms around her shoulders. Deeply she inhaled his scent, smiled when she felt his fingers caressing her hair as her bamboo hat fell unnoticed down the length of her back to the ground. Her fingertips scaled the armour at his back, pulled him closer as she sobbed softly.

Choi Young could not believe that she was real. Tangling his hands in her hair, bringing a few strands of it to his nose, he inhaled her scent deeply. She was real, his mind screamed as he hugged her tighter, sure to leave bruises from his armour pressing into her.

"I missed you," Eun-Soo whispered, her voice hiccupping. "I missed you so much."

"Me too," Choi Young replied, giving her a hug, before reluctantly letting go of her. He held her at arm's length, just staring at her. "Imja …" He watched as Eun-Soo slowly lifted her hand to caress his face, he kissed her fingertips when she touched his beard and moustache.

If she didn't like it, he mused, he would shave his face every morning again. But when she laughed, her fingertips tickling his chin, he forgot everything. Cradling her face with both his hands, he brought her up to her tip toes and kissed her deeply. She still tasted the same, still felt the same. She felt right.

Eun-Soo's hands gripped his shoulders as she was almost lifted out of her shoes, straining to get closer she stretched, freely offering her lips as his mouth slanted over them.

* * *

Many kisses later, they walked arm in arm back to the inn. Some of the newer Woodalchi recruits gaped at their general with the beautiful woman on his arm and when they stepped inside the eating room, silence greeted them.

"High Doctor!" Daeman was the first to recover his sense of speech and rushed forward, jumping over a table to reach the woman at Choi Young's side. Deok Man and Vice General Choong-Suk was fast to follow. While the older men bowed reverently before her, Daeman had no such qualms. He hugged her, then noticing the frown on his Daejang's face, held up his hand which Eun-Soo answered with a high five of her own.

"You are back!" The kid blubbered and Eun-Soo laughed, pulling at the pony tail he was sporting.

"And you have grown, Oh Daeman," she said, then turning to the vice general and Deok Man, she bowed.

"Choong-Suk-ssi, Deok Man-ssi,"

Deok Man grabbed her hand and pumped it up and down several times, remembering her greeting from four years past.

"High Doctor, come sit with us and break fast," he said and gestured toward a table.

Choong-Suk watched his Daejang, and knowing he rather was alone with the High Doctor than breaking fast with his Woodalchi, he hit Deok Man over the head.

"Tell innkeeper to prepare a tray for two and bring it to the Daejang's room," he ordered and bowed toward his general and his woman. "Daejang wants to spent time with his wife after four years."

Eun-Soo blushed when he heard the words _'Daejang's wife_' and she looked up at Choi Young. He noticed and smiled down at her which in turn made her smile.

Grabbing her hand as was his custom, Choi Young walked upstairs to the room he took every year around this time. The only thing Eun-Soo could do before following him upstairs was to grab her bundle that lay abandoned on a side table and clutched it to her chest. When they turned into the small hallway she heard the loud outburst from the Woodalchi's downstairs demanding answers from Daeman, Deok Man and Choong-Suk.

In the seclusion of their room, the Daejang let go of her hand and laid his sword on a nearby table. Meticulously he removed his armour until he was only wearing his blue and grey tunic. Eun-Soo had watching him undress and jolted when she heard a soft knock on the door. Reluctantly, she answered and let Daeman in with a tray of bowls of steaming rice, vegetables and finely sliced cooked meat.

"Daejang, Vice General has ordered to keep the upper floor secluded," the young man stuttered, a blush creeping up his cheeks. "He said to come down if you need anything … no one ... will be within ear shot."

Eun-Soo had to hide a grin behind her hand. While Choong-Suk's efforts for them to spent time alone were noble, it was obvious what exactly the vice general thought they were doing in the seclusion of their room. After Daeman had left, Eun-Soo burst out laughing and even Choi Young could not suppress a grin.

"How considerate," he deadpanned and Eun-Soo stepped up to him and hid her face at his arm.

"At least they are not eavesdropping," she blurted out.

"Want to bet?" he asked and grinned when Eun-Soo's face came up from her hiding point, an expression of alarm on her face.

"They would?"

With a sigh, Choi Young sat down on a stool and pulled her to stand between his legs. Holding her hands, he looked up to her. "They would and they have …"

"Even …" Eun-Soo blushed when the meaning sank in.

"Even back then when Imja was staying in my room. Why do you think Dol Bae thought you were sleeping on the chairs?"

"Where is Dol Bae?" she asked and Choi Young's face turned into a mien of grief.

"He is gone, Ki Cheol killed him. He died while protecting me," he answered slowly and Eun-Soo could feel that his death still weighted heavily on his soul. She drew his head towards her midriff and hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she felt his arms coming around her waist, hugging her to him. For long moments they remained like this. Mourning a comrade, a friend and in Eun-Soo's case a one time confidante.

Eun-Soo caressed his hair, feeling its texture and softness. She still marvelled at the fact that she had found him; that she could remain with him now, after their painful long journey. Slowly she bent down, placing a soft kiss at the crown of his head and when he looked up, their lips met without hesitation.

Even after four years of separation there was no urgency in their kiss as they slowly acquainted themselves with each other's tastes, with the very nature of their love for each other again. When they came up for much needed air, Choi Young looked up at her, still tasting her on his lips.

"I know I have asked this before and you said yes, but …" he stopped to watch Eun-Soo intently. "Then, will you be with me, by my side?"

"Yes," Eun-Soo simply replied and kissed him deeply.

* * *

Later, much later, with their breakfast having gone cold long before, Choi Young drowsily opened an eye and looked down the length of his body which lay on tangled sheets on the bed. He smiled when he noticed Eun-Soo clinging like a wild burr entangled to him, one slender leg thrown over his waist, her arms on his chest, twitching slightly in her sleep. They had made love leisurely, enjoying every moment of their bonding, feeding their souls as much as satisfying their needs after such a long time. When they had reached the climax, him drinking in every soft moan and cry of her with his mouth, they had stayed bonded for a long time. Even though he thought he was far too heavy for her, Eun-Soo had insisted that he stayed on top of her, had slung her legs around his waist as well as her arms and with a smile on her face she had fallen into a deep slumber.

For long moments afterwards, he had watched her, caressed her face and bare shoulders to his heart's content before he too felt slumber closing his eyes. Just before any conscious thought fled him, he had turned on his side, pulling her with him so she came to rest on top of him. With a last effort he had pulled a blanket over them before he too had fallen fast asleep.

Now he felt refreshed and from the light slanting across the room he measured that they had not slept more than two hours. Hugging her to him, he exhaled softly when he felt Eun-Soo stirring beside him.

"Are you there?" she whispered, her voice still groggy from sleep and he kissed the top of her head which rested against his shoulder and slowly caressed her bare back, from the top of her neck to her lower spine.

"I'm here, Imja," he whispered back just as softly. He groaned when she stirred, her leg brushing up against his erection, stretching to reach his lips with her mouth.

"So it was not a dream," Eun-Soo said when she released his lips. Propping herself up on his chest, her lower body snuggling intimately with his, she looked down at Choi Young and smiled.

He had almost forgotten how wonderful, how radiant she looked when she smiled and for a moment he remembered a time where she had not smiled at all, when life in his world had worn her down. But right this moment, she looked regal and radiant and he could not get enough of her. He released his clasp around her waist and cupped her face, tracing with his thumbs the faint soreness around her lips and her chin that his beard had left. When he looked lower, he saw the same faint reddish traces on her neck, her throat and even on the swell of her breasts.

Even if she liked it, his beard had to go, he thought. Her delicate skin told everyone who looked at her, just what they were doing in the seclusion of their room. He grinned at that and Eun-Soo quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What?" she asked and he had the urge to laugh out loud.

"I have marked Imja," he replied with a voice not without a trace of smugness as his thumb rubbed over the sore, reddened skin. "Marked for everyone to see."

Eun-Soo blushed again and playfully hit his chest. "I will have to wear a head scarf that covers my mouth …"

"Or I could just shave it off," Choi Young interjected and thoughtfully combed over the beard on his chin. "Never understood why it should be customary for a man to wear a beard."

There was a noise at the door and alarmed, Choi Young pushed Eun-Soo off him. Grabbing his tunic, he threw it towards her while he pushed into his trousers. Sword in hand he padded bare-footed over to the door before inquiring who was disturbing them.

"Daejang," Daeman's voice could be heard with a distinctive stutter. "The King sent a messenger; your presence is requested at the palace immediately."

Opening the door, Choi snatched the rolled up parchment from the youth's hands and sent the doors shut again. With a regretful sigh towards Eun-Soo, he broke the seal and started to read.

"Imja, we need to return to the Palace immediately," he explained after he finished reading the document, and rolling it up again, threw it on top of Eun-Soo's bundle. "Japanese pirates have invaded the Southern province and threaten to overthrow the province government there."

The general quickly crossed the room to a bundle of clothes of his own, rummaging through it and after he found a dark blue tunic, he brought it over to his woman.

"Do you still remember how to ride?" he asked as he handed the tunic to her. "We need to make haste."

Eun-Soo nodded silently, feeling cheated out of her time alone with Choi Young. She quickly dressed, hugging herself when she pulled the tunic closed over her chest and knotting the bindings at her waist. The garment smelled of him and she had to smile at that. It felt as if she was in a constant embrace with her loved one. She watched as Choi Young dressed himself, his hands deftly strapping on the armour again, and his sword never too far away from his sword hand.

Soon, too soon, Eun-Soo knew, she would be alone again as Choi Young, according to what she knew of history, would be sent down South to fight off the pirates. She looked over to him with longing in her eyes.

As if he had known, he looked up and their eyes met for a long moment.

"Imja will be by my side, did you not promise this?" he asked and for a moment Eun-Soo did not understand what he was asking but when the meaning forced itself through her momentary disappointment, she smiled and crossed the distance between them in almost a flying leap.

"Yes," she said between kisses. "I will."

end


End file.
